Prior art printers typically incorporate a supply of print media into the printer and employ a print media feed mechanism to transport the print media past the printhead(s) to effect printing onto the print media. In such printers it is essential during a printing operation to synchronise the speed of the print media with the printing rate of the printhead(s) to ensure a faithful reproduction of the image being printed. Up until now the synchronisation of the print media with the printhead(s) has been relatively simple to accomplish because the print media feed mechanism, including the supply of print media, has been an integral part of the printer. The speed of the print media is therefore known and controllable, as is the speed at which the printhead(s) and print controller operate, with synchronisation between these features being accomplished using simple mechanical features such as gears, stepper motors and the like.
However, the need to have a supply of print media accommodated within the printer has made these printers larger and heavier than they otherwise need be. Similarly, the need for a print media drive mechanism integral to the printer to ensure proper synchronisation between ink ejection and print media transport has limited the minimum possible printer size.